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South Asia Investor Review is focused on reporting, analyzing and discussing the economy and the financial markets of countries in South Asia, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. For investors looking to invest in emerging markets beyond BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), this blog is designed to help international investors looking to learn about investing in South Asia with focus on Pakistan. Riaz has another blog called Haq's Musings at http://www.riazhaq.com

Abdullah Al Shehi, the CEO of GeoWash, has argued that the Dasht River floods annually, which has prompted the Pakistani government to empty the excess water through channels leading to the sea. That excess water, said Mr Al Shehi, could be put to use in the UAE, according to a report in the UAE's newspaper "The National".

Dasht River

Dasht River:

Dasht River is located in Makran region and Gwadar District, in the southwestern section of Balochistan Province, in southwestern Pakistan. The Kech River, a seasonal intermittent river, is a tributary of the Dasht River which flows southeast through the Central Makran Range in the Gwadar District of Balochistan into the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea.

Mirani Dam

Mirani Dam:

Mirani Dam was completed on Dasht River in 2006 to store over 300,000 acre-feet of fresh water to meet the needs of southern Balochistan. Mirani Dam is the largest dam in the world in terms of volume for flood protection with a floodstock of 588,690 cubic hectometer, according to International Commission On Large Dams (ICOLD). This water reservoir is essential for the development of a deep sea port and a major new metropolis in Gawadar as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In addition to supplying fresh water to Turbat, Jiwani and Gwadar cities, it has sufficient capacity to irrigate over 33,000 acres of farm land.

UAE Water Security:

The United Arab Emirates uses 80% of its fresh water for agriculture in its arid desert and the rest of the 20% for urban needs, according to The National. Here's the key question: Does it make more sense for the UAE to import food rather than grow its own food by importing fresh water? The second question is: Can the UAE focus on desalination for the water it needs for urban use?

Summary:

Gwadar port was first conceived in late 1950s when Pakistan purchased the region from the Sultanate of Oman. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been talked about since early 1990s. But nothing was done to develop until President Pervez Musharraf allocated time, money and focus to build first several berths at Gwadar deep sea port, Coastal Highway to connect it with Karachi and Mirani Dam in Balochistan to supply water on his watch.

Now water-stressed Pakistan needs to focus on building greater water storage capacity if it's really serious about developing Gwadar, Southwestern Balochistan and the Makran coast. It must not agree to export the Dasht River water to anyone, including the UAE. Instead, it should offer to export food as necessary to meet UAE's needs.

Pakistan's water managers are looking to NASA satellites to help them more effectively monitor and manage that precious resource, thanks to a partnership with engineers and hydrologists at the University of Washington, Seattle."Satellites up in space looking at how much water we have underground, in rivers or in the atmosphere are providing routine observations that can help policymakers and on-the-ground managers make informed decisions," said Faisal Hossain, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington. "From offering improved flood forecasting to indicating areas where groundwater resources are threatened, freely available satellite data can be an invaluable resource, particularly in developing countries."

After training at the University of Washington, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources in January 2016 began using satellite data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, or GRACE, mission to create monthly updates on groundwater storage changes in the Indus River basin. This will allow them to see where groundwater supplies are being depleted and where they are being adequately recharged. Like all NASA satellite data, GRACE data are freely available for download from open NASA data centers (GRACE Tellus and the Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.GRACE's pair of identical satellites, launched in 2002, map tiny variations in Earth's gravity. Since water has mass, it affects these measurements. Therefore, GRACE data can help scientists monitor where the water is and how it changes over time. Using tools developed by the University of Washington and partners at the University of Houston; Ohio State University, Columbus; and NASA's Applied Sciences Program, Pakistan's water managers and researchers can analyze the NASA data to estimate changes in the total amount of available water, as well as changes in groundwater supplies.

"Using these satellites, we can indicate the areas that are most threatened by groundwater depletion. We can tell the farmers and water managers and help decision makers formulate better and more sustainable policies," said Naveed Iqbal, an assistant director and hydrogeologist at the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources. Iqbal spent six months at the University of Washington learning how to analyze and process the GRACE data to enhance decision-making at his agency.GRACE project scientist Carmen Boening of JPL, which manages the GRACE project for NASA, said, "This is another great example of the unique ability of GRACE to see changes in water resources on a regional scale and provide easily accessible information where data are otherwise limited."Compared to traditional groundwater monitoring efforts, the satellite information offers less spatial resolution but huge benefits in terms of cost and efficiency. For example, Pakistani water managers spent eight years building a groundwater monitoring network in the Indus River basin alone, and that network provides readings only twice a year."It's so fundamentally difficult to do this monitoring in a conventional way—sending people and sticking probes in the ground to measure water. It takes a long time and it's expensive," said Hossain, who runs the University of Washington's Sustainability, Satellites, Water and Environment Research Group. "In some places you can't even send people because the terrain is too remote or there is mortal danger due to insurgency and political strife."

QUETTA: After a delay of more than a decade, the construction of Kachhi Canal project will finally be completed by the third week of August followed by filling of water to test the main canal and its structures.

The formal commissioning of Kachhi Canal is scheduled by the end of August with the release of water into the distribution system for irrigation of 7, 2000 acres of virgin land in district Dera Bugti of Balochistan.

This was briefed by the project authorities in a meeting presided over by Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lieutenant General (retired) Muzammil Hussain on Saturday. The meeting was held to review progress on the project.

Speaking on the occasion, Lieutenant General (retired)) Muzammil Hussain said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that Kachhi Canal, work on which started 15 years ago, was almost an abandoned project owing to certain reasons; gross cost overrun and long delays being the major contributing factors.

However, the project was revitalised due to active support of the incumbent federal government and commitment of WAPDA team, the engineers in particular. It is indeed heartening to note that the project is finally going to see the light of the day after a long period of 15 years, the chairman added.

It is worth mentioning that Kachhi Canal project is of immense importance for the development of water infrastructure and irrigated agriculture in Balochistan. The project is being completed with a cost of about Rs 80 billion.

The 363-kilometre long main canal (out of which 351-kilometre is lined canal) takes off from Taunsa Barrage in district Muzaffargarh of Punjab and ends at district Dera Bugti in Balochistan. The discharge capacity of the main canal is 6,000 cusecs. As many as 914 structures have been constructed at or over the main canal, including head and cross regulators, road and railways bridges, cross drainage and escape structures and watercourse crossings etc.

Quetta - Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is scheduled to arrive in Balochistan today (Thursday) for the inauguration of Kachhi Canal Project upon its completion in Dera Bugti.

As per reports, Premier Abbasi will arrive in Dera Bugti to formally inaugurate Kachhi Canal Project on Thursday for which all preparations have been finalised and he will also address a gathering of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers and supporters in Sui where a large number of tribal elites are expected to join the PML-N fold.

Tight security arrangements have been made for prime minister’s scheduled visit to Balochistan.

It merits mentioning here that the Kachhi Canal Project was kicked off in 2002 but delay in its completion made the cost of the project go high and the project kept on moving on a snail’s pace. After 15 years, its preliminary phase has been completed, while in the second phase the canal will irrigate more areas.

The 363-km long Kachhi Canal Project is located in Punjab whose 281 km part is in Punjab and 80 km falls in Balochistan. The canal originates from Taunsa Barrage at Indus River. The Kachhi Canal will provide sustainable irrigation water supply to 72,000 acres of agricultural land thus bringing green revolution in Balochistan.

The project embraces significant position in Balochistan water infrastructure and agriculture sector which will fuel financial progress in the province.

DERA BUGTI: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be paying a one day visit to Dera Bugti’s Sui area to inaugurate the Kachhi canal project on Thursday. He will also be addressing the gathering at the inauguration ceremony.

The pm will be accompanied by Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Home Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfaraz Bugti and other leaders who are also expected to address the gathering.

In consideration of the occasion, a local holiday has been declared in the district of Dera Bugti today.

Kachhi canal project is of strategic importance for the development of irrigated agriculture in Balochistan. The total estimated cost of the project is around Rs80 billion. The 363km long main canal (of which 351km is lined canal) stretches from Taunsa Barrage in Muzaffargarh to Dera Bugti district.

Despite being water scarce, agriculture and livestock remain the major sources of income for majority of the population in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and most sparsely-populated province.Over-pumping of groundwater in the past resulted in the depletion of fresh water resources at the annual rate of three meters.The Government of Balochistan, with the World Bank’s support improved and restored 15 independent Karez systems in collaboration with Farmer Organizations, helping increase productivity, crop yields, and farmers’ incomes.Constituting almost 44% of the country’s total land mass, Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan, with a population of nine million people. Despite being water scarce, agriculture and livestock remain the major sources of income for majority of the highly dispersed population.

The average annual rainfall varies from less than 50 mm in the southwest to about 400 mm in the northeast of Balochistan. With a largely arid climate, surface water and ground water sources can only be replenished by scarce rainfall. Very high evaporation rates make irrigation systems a necessity for agriculture.

During the drought period between 1998 till 2002 in Pishin Lora Basin, located in northwest Balochistan, the number of tube wells swelled. The problem became more acute because of continued over-pumping of groundwater resulting in the depletion of fresh water resources at an annual rate of three meters.

Considering such tough conditions, the World Bank, at the request of the Government of Balochistan (GoB) initiated Small Scale Irrigation Schemes (SSIS) under the umbrella of Balochistan Small Scale Irrigation Project (BSSIP) to improve the management of scarce water resources. The idea was to increase surface water availability and reduce groundwater depletion while strengthening local capacity through participation of farmers in implementing these schemes and formulating plans for sustainable water resources development and watershed management.

Karezes, are the main source of irrigation and drinking water needs in Balochistan. These are underground galleries that tap groundwater from aquifers of the alluvial fans. Underground tunnels with gentle slopes carry water from its source to settled areas. These are small in cross-section but may be many kilometers in length. Karez water is used for irrigation and for drinking water supply. This is a reliable source of water supply given the climatic conditions of the province and is a relatively economical method of tapping groundwater for irrigation, environmentally safe and powered by gravity.

Under the SSIS, the Government of Balochistan, with the help of the World Bank improved and restored 15 independent Karez systems in collaboration with the Farmer Organizations in Pishin Lora Basin. The water conveyance channels from the source to the farms were mostly made of earth, causing almost half the water to be lost to seepage.

The government has released three point three eight billion rupees to complete various water projects in Public Sector Development Programme during the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2016-17.

According to the Planning Commission data, an amount of rupees one billion has been released for Kachhi Canal Project (Phase-I), rupees 600 million for Naji Gaj Dam Dadu.

A sum of rupees 110 million has been released for Makhi Farash Link Canal Project, rupees 60 million for Kurram Tangi Dam and rupees 10 million Gomal Zam Dam..

Similarly, rupees 200 million for construction of 100 Delay Action Dams in Balochistan and an amount of rupees 200 million was released for raising of Mangla Dam Project, and rupees 167.274 million for Re-construction of Shahi Kour Dam in Gwadar.

Mirani Dam, Kech District Balochistan.-AlbumsMirani Dam, Kech District Balochistan.-5 Photos · Updated over a year agoMirani Dam is a medium-size multi-purpose concrete-faced rock-filled dam located on the Dasht River south of the Central Makran Range in Kech District in Balochistan province of Pakistan. Its 302,000 acre feet (373,000,000 m3). reservoir is fed by the Kech River and the Nihing River.[2] Mirani Dam was completed in July 2006 and it impounded the Dasht River in August 2006. It successfully withstood an extreme flood event in June 2007.[3] The dam is used for irrigation of 33,200 acres in Kech Valley and for the supply of clean drinking water to Turbat and Gwadar.

The sought-after birds were released by the UAE Embassy in Islamabad under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi-based International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC), one of the world’s leading conservation programmes, in attendance of representatives from the Punjab Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Department.

Commenting on the successful release, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaab said the UAE has a proven record in conservation and breeding of the endangered bird thanks to the landmark efforts made by the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to save the endangered species.

He also spoke about the UAE's conservation success story which began 40 years ago when Sheikh Zayed sensed the danger facing the Houbara population.

Abu Dhabi’s Houbara breeding programme is dedicated to restoring sustainable wild populations of the iconic Houbara bustard across the species’ range. It is responsible for many ground breaking scientific findings, which are incorporated into the breeding and release programmes thus ensuring it is one of the world’s most advanced and complete conservation solutions.

The IFHC was built on the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed, who established the first Houbara propagation programme at Al Ain Zoo in 1977 with only seven Asian birds.

ADB approves $100m loan to address Balochistan’s water shortageA separate $2 million technical assistance from JFPR will help the provincial government improve its institutional capacity to address the risks and potential impact of climate change in the agriculture sector

The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) on Monday approved a $100 million loan to address chronic water shortages and increase earnings on farms in southwestern Pakistan province of Balochistan.

The Balochistan Water Resources Development Sector Project will focus on improving irrigation infrastructure and water resource management in the Zhob and Mula river basins, the ADB said in a statement.

“Agriculture is the backbone of Bolochistan’s economy,” said ADB Principal Water Resources Specialist Yaozhou Zhou. “This project will build irrigation channels and dams, and introduce efficient water usage systems and practices, to help farmers increase food production and make more money,” he added.

Among the infrastructure that will be upgraded or built for the project is a dam able to hold 36 million cubic meters of water, 276 kilometers of irrigation channels and drainage canals, and facilities that will make it easier for people, especially women, to access water for domestic use.

In total, about 16,592 hectares (ha) of land will be added or improved for irrigation.

The project will protect watersheds through extensive land and water conservation efforts, including planting trees and other measures on 4,145 ha of barren land to combat soil erosion.

Part of the project’s outputs are the pilot testing of technologies such as solar-powered drip irrigation systems on 130 ha of agricultural land, improving crop yields and water usage on 160 fruit and vegetable farms and demonstrating high-value agriculture development.

The project will also establish a water resources information system that will use high-level technology such as satellite and remote sensing to do river basin modelling and identify degraded land for rehabilitation.

ADB will also administer grants from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) and the High-Level Technology Fund (HLT Fund) worth $3 million and $2 million, respectively, for the project.

A separate $2 million technical assistance from JFPR will help Balochistan’s provincial government improve its institutional capacity to address the risks and potential impact of climate change in the agriculture sector, as well as build a climate-resilient and sustainable water resources management mechanism in the province.

JFPR, established in May 2000, provides grants for ADB projects supporting poverty reduction and social development efforts, while the HLT Fund, established in April 2017, earmarks grant financing to promote technology and innovative solutions in ADB projects.

ADB said it is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.

Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members of which 48 are from the region. In 2017, ADB operations totaled $32.2 billion, including $11.9 billion in co-financing.

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San Francisco based Cloudcade has announced it will invest $6 million to set up a game development studio in Lahore, Pakistan, according to Venturebeat.

The Lahore studio will be led by Ammar Zaeem, cofounder of Pakistan’s mobile game studio Caramel Tech which already has a team of 50 engineers.
The move is a big investment into Pakistan as a tech hub, and it shows how the game business is expanding around the globe.

Cloudcade:

Founded by Di Huang in 2013, Cloudcade is known for its popular multiplayer game "Shop Heroes" that pits players against each other in a competition to create the best shop they can. If a player can make a better store and perform more tasks than his or her rivals, he or she wins.

The game is available on the Apple iOS App Store, Google Play, Samsung Galaxy Store, Amazon, Kongregate, and Facebook. It is now also supported on the Apple Watch.

43.5% of Indians, the highest percentage in the world, say they do not want to have a neighbor of a different race, according to a Washington Post report based on World's Values Survey.

About Pakistan, the report says that "although the country has a number of factors that coincide with racial intolerance – sectarian violence, its location in the least-tolerant region of the world, low economic and human development indices – only 6.5 percent of Pakistanis objected to a neighbor of a different race. This would appear to suggest Pakistanis are more racially tolerant than even the Germans or the Dutch".

Housing Discrimination:

It appears that there is a small but militant minority in Pakistan that is highly intolerant, but the vast majority of people are tolerant. My own experience as a former Karachi-ite is that there is little or no race or religion based housing segregation, the kind that is rampant in India where Muslims are not welcome in most Hindu-dominated neigh…

Pakistan's human development ranking plunged to 150 this year, down from 149 last year. It is worse than Bangladesh at 136, India at 130 and Nepal at 149. The decade of democracy under Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has produced the slowest annual growth rate in the last 30 years. The fastest growth in Pakistan human development was seen in 2000-2010, a decade dominated by President Musharraf's rule, according to the latest Human Development Report 2018.

Human Development in Pakistan:

UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI) represents human progress in one indicator that combines information on people’s health, education and income.

Pakistan saw average annual HDI (Human Development Index) growth rate of 1.08% in 1990-2000, 1.57% in 2000-2010 and 0.95% in 2010-2017, according to Human Development Indices and Indicators 2018 Statistical Update. The fastest growth in Pakistan human development was seen in 2000-2010, a decade dominated by President M…

I am the Founder and President of PakAlumni Worldwide, a global social network for Pakistanis, South Asians and their friends. I also served as Chairman of the NEDians Convention 2007. In addition to being a South Asia watcher, an investor, business consultant and avid follower of the world financial markets, I have more than 25 years experience in the hi-tech industry. I have been on the faculties of Rutgers University and NED Engineering University and cofounded two high-tech startups, Cautella, Inc. and DynArray Corp and managed multi-million dollar P&Ls. I am a pioneer of the PC and mobile businesses and I have held senior management positions in hardware and software development of Intel’s microprocessor product line from 8086 to Pentium processors. My experience includes senior roles in marketing, engineering and business management. I was recognized as “Person of the Year” by PC Magazine for my contribution to 80386 program. I have an MS degree in Electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
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